TMM-Factor

Team Macro Man is not dead, it is just resting. Now as images of Monty Python's dead parrot sketch suddenly fill your consciousness we must pull you back into focus and explain that unlike the parrot Team Macro Man really is not dead. The spirits of the founding fathers, though invisible, are with us and will be actively involved in the process of choosing new blood for the team.

As the relatively new member of TMM myself, I (GMS) have found myself being prodded forward by the others to run the audition process, which I know is just their way of saying, in true French management style, "If you succeed without any help from us then it was our success and if you fail.. Well if you fail then of course our fingerprints are nowhere near it and so it was not our fault and you are fired".

So, let's start with how I came to be here. I have been following this blog almost since its inception more than 7 years ago and as a reader, I always looked forward to visiting the site because I knew that whether seriously or sarcastically written, there would be a post that would make me think, laugh, or most often, both. The posts on this blog, along with the commentary they’ve generated have been an enormous source of education, learning, stress relief, and enjoyment for me and soon became my standard of what a finance blog can be.

I have had the privilege of contributing to posts here over the past year, and I have found the entire experience – from the discussions with other TMM members, to the writing of the posts, to the dialogue with readers – extremely rewarding. And that is something I hope to share the new team. So if you’ve ever wanted to publish your view on a macro topic to a readership that is frightening diverse and expert in their own right, we would be delighted to hear from you!

Some quick points to note - Posts are more often than not written in a collaborative format so there is no room for egos (other than the TMM Super-ego). Each post will have a lead contributor who has written or frameworked it with the others adding where they can and are cleared to go by agreement. This creates the TMM. It really is a team and we do have to trust each other. So though anonymity can be expected externally, internally you will need to be known, open and honest.

Qualifications are pretty easy. Just a solid financial background and ability to think forwards, a sense of humour, a Gmail account, and preferably access to Google or Bloomberg chats during the day for discussions with team members. You do not need to disclose your identity to us yet ( though we would prefer it) but a short description of your current role and your area(s) of expertise would be helpful. And finally, please submit a sample post about something macro related in your field of expertise. It will not be published without your permission, but we do want to make sure that you can … err … write intelligible English 'innit guvnor.

Please direct your submissions to TMMPublishing @ gmail.com. (don't worry it's not as official as it sounds, it's just an account we made up for this process) We will be looking through your responses through next week, and we’re hoping that we can get a new post up the week after that.

In addition, if any readers would like to submit a single post or series of posts without the commitment of joining the team, please feel free to submit it to the above address. We will of course credit you if it’s posted.

Oh and for amusements sake we may start styling the whole process along the lines of X-Factor so be prepared to answer some questions about how much you really really want this and is it your dream and are you ready for the amazing journey?

C SaysSpeaking from a personal viewpoint, which means my mouth is moving, I just wanna make me Nanna proud cos she's bin there for me even wen I did time for assaulting granddad. I can nevva repay her for feeding me 6 kids at McDonalds while I woz inside. She's bin such good role model for them showing them how to lever up the loo window and get out without paying. I jus want you to know I'll nevva let you down. I'll giv it 199% of me time wen I'm not picking up me benefits. I jus know it's gunna be whoresome.

LB lacks any of the requisite formal financial qualifications, having learned all (?) his asset management skills at the School of Hard Knocks. In fact he has no qualifications at all, other than the ability to compose a sentence in his lingua franca. Of course, LB has already contributed a MM post under a nom de plume, so that hasn't stopped him in the past. Although it was complete bollocks....

C SaysThink the USD can't get more compressed than it is so about here somebody get's an expansion day kick in the margins. Given the weighting in the basket it's got to be our old friend the Euro on the receiving end surely. What's the trigger? Does Yellen come over all hawkish in a way we were not expecting?

C SaysSimon C says' "Listen to me Janet ,this is the X factor and there are so many better singers than you. This is Karoake Janet and you'd better learn how to sing like Ben if you want to be here next week."